1. Training Information-Integration
Category Learning
Brian J. Spiering

3. Outline
1) Category-learning tasks
2) COVIS Model
3) Behavioral tests of COVIS Model
4) Conclusions

4. Stimulus on a Single Category-Learning Trial

5. Rule-Based
Category Learning
Categorization rule is
easy to describe
Effective learning requires:
• no distractions
• active and effortful processing of feedback
• the nature and timing of feedback is not critical
A
Bar Width
Orientation
A B

6. Information-Integration
Category Learning
Categorization rule is
difficult to describe
Effective learning requires:
• consistent feedback immediately after response
• consistent mapping from category to response location
• no active feedback processing
Bar Width
Orientation
A B
A

7. A Real-Life Information-Integration Task?
Does this mammogram
show a tumor?

8. A Real-Life Information-Integration Task?
Tumor!

9. The Two Category Learning Systems of COVIS
• Logical-reasoning system
- quickly learns explicit rules
• Procedural-learning system
- slowly learns almost any similarity-based rule
• Simultaneously active in all tasks (at least initially)
(Ashby, Alfonso-Reese, Turken, & Waldron,
Psychological Review, 1998)

10. The COVIS Explicit System
• Logical reasoning system
• Uses working memory and executive attention
• Working memory & attentional switching
component – FROST (Ashby, Ell, Valentin, &
Casale, 2005, J. of Cognitive Neuroscience)

11. The COVIS Explicit System

12. The COVIS Procedural-Learning System

13. Evidence Supporting COVIS
Single-cell recording studies
Asaad, Rainer, & Miller, 2000; Hoshi, Shima, & Tanji, 1998; Merchant, Zainos, Hernadez, Salinas, & Romo,
1997; Romo, Merchant, Ruiz, Crespo, & Zainos, 1995; White & Wise, 1999
Animal lesion experiments
Eacott & Gaffan, 1991; Gaffan & Eacott, 1995; Gaffan & Harrison, 1987; McDonald & White, 1993, 1994;
Packard, Hirsch, & White, 1989; Packard & McGaugh, 1992; Roberts & Wallis, 2000
Neuropsychological patient studies
Ashby, Noble, Filoteo, Waldron, & Ell, 2003; Brown & Marsden, 1988; Cools et al., 1984; Downes et al.,
1989; Filoteo, Maddox, & Davis, 2001a, 2001b; Filoteo, Maddox, Ing, Zizak, & Song, in press; Filoteo,
Maddox, Salmon, & Song, 2005; Janowsky, Shimamura, Kritchevsky, & Squire, 1989; Knowlton, Mangels,
& Squire, 1996; Leng & Parkin, 1988; Snowden et al., 2001
Neuroimaging experiments
Konishi et al., 1999; Lombardi et al., 1999; Nomura et al., in press; Poldrack, et al., 2001; Rao et al., 1997;
Rogers, Andrews, Grasby, Brooks, & Robbins, 2000; Seger & Cincotta, 2002; Volz et al., 1997
Traditional cognitive behavioral experiments
Ashby & Ell, 2002; Ashby, Ell, & Waldron, 2003; Ashby, Maddox, & Bohil, 2002; Ashby, Queller, &
Berretty, 1999; Ashby, Waldron, Lee, & Berkman, 2001; Maddox, Ashby, & Bohil, 2003; Maddox, Ashby,
Ing, & Pickering, 2004; Maddox, Bohil, & Ing, in press; Waldron & Ashby, 2001; Zeithamova & Maddox, in
press

14. Spiering, B. J., & Ashby, F. G. (2008)
Response processes in information-integration
category learning.
Neurobiology of Learning and Memory

15. Bar Width
Orientation
A B
A

16. Are consistent responses required for
II category learning?
- Ashby, Ell, & Waldron (2003)
- Maddox, Bohil, & Ing (2004)
-Olson & Gettner (1999)

17. Stimuli

18. Single Trial for Control

19. Single Trial for Random-Color

20. Single Trial for Random-Letter
A BAB

21. Method
Participants
Random-Color condition - 51
Random-Letter condition -18
Control condition - 20

22. Accuracy-Based Results

23. Responses

24. Model-based Results
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Block
ProportionofIIstrategyuse
Control Random- Color Random- Letter

25. Discussion
• Consistent response locations are not
necessary for II category learning
• Consistent feature identity is sufficient
• Learning is fastest with consistent spatial
and feature association

26. What about Yes-No interference?
(Maddox et al., 2004)

27. Method
Participants
Yes-No condition - 33
Random-Location condition - 69
Control condition - 20

28. Single Trial for Yes-No
Yes No?

29. Accuracy-Based Results

30. Model-based Results
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Block
ProportionofIIstrategyuse
Control Random- Location Yes- No

31. Discussion
• Yes-No decisions are difficult in II category
learning
• Yes-No decisions recruit PFC
II category learning does not “depend” on PFC

32. Spiering, B. J., & Ashby, F. G. (2008)
Initial training with difficult items facilitates
information-integration but not rule-based category
learning.
Psychological Science

33. Bar Width
Orientation
A B
A

34. Stimuli

35. Stimuli
Hard

36. Stimuli
Medium

37. Stimuli
Easy

38. Method
Participants
Hard-to-Easy condition - 26
Easy-to-Hard condition - 24
Random condition - 31

39. Accuracy-Based Results

40. Accuracy-Based Results

41. Model-based Results
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
Hard- to- Easy Easy- to- Hard Random
Condition
ProportionofIIstrategyuse
Block 2 Block 4

42. Discussion
• Hard-to-Easy performed best at transfer
• Easy-to-Hard outperformed Random

43. What about rule-based
category learning?

44. Bar Width
Orientation
A B

45. Stimuli

46. Stimuli
Hard

47. Stimuli
Medium

48. Stimuli
Easy

49. Method
Participants
Hard-to-Easy condition - 31
Easy-to-Hard condition - 31
Random condition - 31

50. Accuracy-Based Results

51. Accuracy-Based Results

52. Model-based Results
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
Hard- to- Easy Easy- to- Hard Random
Condition
Proportionoflogical
conjunctionstrategyuse
Block 2 Block 4

53. Discussion
Training procedure does not matter for RB
category learning

54. General Discussion
Cortical projection of procedural-learning system
of COVIS
Competition between the systems of COVIS

55. Acknowledgments
F. Greg Ashby